<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>TES 34/64 by Zahri</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28005690">TES 34/64</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zahri/pseuds/Zahri'>Zahri</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, POV Outsider, Qualifying for Worlds, World Figure Skating Championships</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 20:00:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>727</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28005690</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zahri/pseuds/Zahri</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>If the JSF didn’t assign Yuuri Katsuki to Four Continents and Worlds, someone else must have gone.</p><p>The JSF want to assign the Japanese Men’s National Champion to Worlds. Problem is, Ryuu Arashiro doesn’t currently meet the TES minimums.</p><p>Welcome to the second half of the best season of Ryuu’s life, as he races to qualify for Worlds.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>TES 34/64</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ryuu Arashiro still can’t believe he's the National Champion.</p><p>It’s a heady high, even with an asterisk over the scores. Ryuu still can’t believe Katsuki fell apart so badly, but he’s still enjoying the thrill of gold from a clean skate. This could really be his year!</p><p>And then the JSF call him in for a meeting.</p><p>They want to send their National Champion to Four Continents and Worlds.</p><p>“What about Katsuki?” Ryuu asks blankly. Sure, he’s been to Four Continents before, but Worlds? <i>Worlds?</i> They only have one spot.</p><p>“We want Japan to be represented by the best athletes in our country,” they tell him. Which is harsh, but after seeing Katsuki splat twice in a fortnight, he can understand why they want an alternative to send.</p><p>“You know I don’t have the TES minimums for Worlds? Don’t you? I only have a 62.48 for my free skate.”</p><p>“We will approve entries for any B competitions that you want. Please give us a list of which you wish to attend.”</p>
<hr/><p>Ryuu and his coach update his program components as they comb through the listings. He can probably manage eight B competitions, plus Four Continents, in this race for a free skate TES of 64. He hopes he doesn’t need to attend eight additional competitions. From the looks of things, he might as well relocate to Eastern Europe for the duration.</p><p>(He can’t and won’t, because that’s ridiculous and his coach can’t be away that long. But it would save hours of flying)</p><p>Ryuu was already on the schedule for Dragon Trophy, but he adds MNNT Cup and Skate Helena first.</p>
<hr/><p>At MNNT Cup Ryuu is still slightly unsure on the changes to his program. He feels hesitant, and the scores reflect it.</p>
<hr/><p>Skate Helena is practically the warm up competition for Europeans, there are so many skaters around. Ryuu snaps a lace during his skate and that’s it. He knows it’s not going to happen this week.</p>
<hr/><p>By the Dragon Trophy, the coffee shop Ryuu always buys drinks from at the airport is smiling at his tired face and asking “Same as usual?” as he once again waits for an early morning flight.</p><p>It's his best score so far. It still isn't enough.</p>
<hr/><p>At Sophia, Ryuu gets downgraded on his spins. He feels like screaming. If they’d been Level 4, he would have made it to 64.</p>
<hr/><p>Four Continents is insane. As his fifth competition in seven weeks, everyone knows he’s gunning for a Worlds qualification score. Other skaters in the corridors smile sympathetically at him. Diego Zapata, who’s also on the qualification grind for the Philippines as his scores are so close, sits next to him as they lace their boots for warm ups.</p><p>“Are you going to Vienna or The Nordics Open next week?”</p><p>“Nordics.”</p><p>“I’m going to Vienna. Fingers crossed we don’t see each other at Sportland in a fortnight.”</p><p>Ryuu touches down on his triple lutz, and ends up with 63.88. There are groans around the arena as his score is announced, mixed in with all the applause.</p>
<hr/><p>The Nordics Open was too soon after Four Continents. He feels sluggish. It’s not a good day.</p>
<hr/><p>At Sportland, the staff member handing Ryuu his judging panel breakdown apologises. “I wish you’d got it this time. You are so close!”</p>
<hr/><p>By the time Ryuu squeaks a 64.31 at the Cup of Tyrol, the relief is overwhelming. He just wants to sleep in his own bed for 5 consecutive nights. He replaces the toothpaste in his travel washbag as he’s run out and washes the cover on his travel pillow.</p><p>Three weeks now to prepare at his home rink, rather than having to front up to the Triglav Trophy the week before Worlds, with the eyes of the entire judging panel questioning why he’s putting himself through all of this.</p><p>He can do this. (Why isn’t Katsuki doing this?)</p>
<hr/><p>Qualifying to skate in the Free Skate and finishing 23rd at Worlds is an achievement Ryuu never expected for this season. He’s had his chance to stand tall and be seen on the world stage. He’s moving up.</p><p>And then, nine months later, Katsuki comes second at the Grand Prix Final by only fractions of a point, and any idle fantasies that Ryuu has been entertaining of another Worlds appearance are immediately gone.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is based on some speculation of mine that even if Yuuri is the only International level men's skater in the federation, the JSF likely would have still sent him to Four Continents and Worlds as Yuuri had the scores to attend. The fact that he didn't go means that there was someone else who definitely had the scores for Four Continents, and probably scraped in above the minimums of Worlds. This hypothetical skater is almost certainly last year's National Champion for Japan.</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>